President Secures Key Allies in Syria Bid

BRADENTON – President Obama gained two crucial allies yesterday when House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor gave their support to the President's plan to intervene militarily in Syria.

After meeting with the President, Boehner said he would “support the president’s call to action” and was quickly joined by his fellow Republican Cantor, who said he hoped the President could be successful in making his case to Congress.

The President departed last night for a three-day trip to Sweden and Russia, where he will continue to try and build up international support for a strike after speaking Monday evening with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who the White House said in a statement agreed with President Obama “that the use of chemical weapons is a serious violation of international norms and cannot be tolerated.”

On Tuesday afternoon, Secretary of State John Kerry, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, testified before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Today, Kerry and Hagel will appear before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

Boehner and Cantor's support is seen as a major victory for the President, in a House where he has found little support. His chances of the Senate voting in favor of his plan are seen as much better, as Democrats hold a small majority and Republican hawks like Senator John McCain (R-AZ) have been vocal in support of military intervention.